The Spanish government has warned it will allow the military to take control of the country's airspace unless air traffic controllers return to work. Officials said many had called in sick as part of a long-running pay dispute, causing the shutdown of several Spanish airports. More from Sarah Rainsford in Madrid.

Many passengers were left stranded inside planes on runways after the protest began this evening. It's the start of a national holiday here, and the airports are crowded with people who'd been planning a long weekend away. All flights in and out of Madrid, Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza have been cancelled, the result of a dispute over air traffic controllers' hours and conditions. The airport authority Aena has called the action irresponsible, accusing the controllers of holding the country hostage.

A court in Colombia has sentenced a former paramilitary commander, who's admitted ordering the killing of more than 4,000 people, to eight years in prison. The man, Jorge Ivan Laverde also known as the "Iguana", had originally been sentenced to 40 years in prison. But his sentence was reduced as part of an amnesty programme for paramilitaries willing to give up arms. He was found guilty of participating in at least 28 massacres.

The United Nations has warned that the cholera epidemic in Haiti could affect many more people than previously believed. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said health officials now estimate that 650,000 people could become infected over the next six months.